Perspectives on spiritual life during the smartphone age

Abstract

Th is chapter explores how one can nurture, from the perspective of Christian faith, the development of a person’s spiritual life in the modern era of behavioural transformations driven by smartphonisation – the frequent and oft en addictive use of smartphones. Th is issue is highly signifi cant considering the widespread adoption of mobile phones and the exponential increase in time spent by almost all generations engaging with screens. Th e topic is particularly urgent as it highlights the intersection of two profoundly different realms. On the one hand, the inner spiritual world of human beings, which, since the advent of modernity, has oft en been marginalized or reduced to a pursuit of psycho-physical well-being. On the other hand, the virtual world, which increasingly dominates our time, particularly for younger generations, creating a “networked life” or “connected life.” The pervasive infl uence of this second universe – the world of screens – demands both a commitment to safeguarding the spiritual life of the digital human, or homo sapiens digitalis, and an exploration of new opportunities for spiritual growth in the smartphone era.